According to a new national poll, there's no consensus among Republicans. But a CNN/ORC International survey released Wednesday does indicate there's an ideological split that could put pressure on Romney, the all but certain GOP presidential nominee, as he tries to make his decision.

Full results (PDF)

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The poll asked Republicans and independents who lean towards the GOP to choose from eight names who could be among the two dozen or so potential running mates that the Romney campaign may be considering as the vice presidential nominee.

According to the survey, Condoleezza Rice is on top of the list. Twenty-six percent questioned said they would like to see Rice, who served as national security adviser and later as secretary of state under President George W. Bush, as the Republican vice presidential nominee. In second place in the survey, at 21%, was Rick Santorum, who was Romney's chief rival for the nomination until early last week, when the former senator from Pennsylvania suspended his campaign for the White House.

Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie were each at 14%, with House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin at 8%, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal at 5%, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell at 1% and Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio at less than one half of one percent.

"Name recognition is the key," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Rice and Santorum are best known and they top the overall wish list."

Hmm. I notice our would-be masters at CNN have left a couple of names off, but I can see why they’d never permit the little people to have that sort of choice. Now let me see, who could it be? A guy named Gingrich? Well, maybe, but I think there might be somebody else. Can’t remember the name, but I think she’s from Alaska...

I don’t think I agree with the polling dudes explanation of why Rick and Condi beat the others. There is no way that Chris Christie has a name recognition problem with GOP voters. There is more to this poll result than that.

5
posted on 04/18/2012 10:50:13 PM PDT
by Lazlo in PA
(Now living in a newly minted Red State.)

Can’t think of a worse choice than Condi, although she could be SOS. Without Ohio in the GOP column, Barack wins. So Portman is a strategic choice. Another good choice is that lady governor of NM, to expand Hispanic voter turnout, and can’t hurt with women voters. As a governor, she has executive experience.

12
posted on 04/18/2012 11:04:25 PM PDT
by entropy12
(Winning is the only thing...coach Vince Lombardi. Losers in elections have zero power.)

Your ignorance knows no bounds. You post a picture of John Bolton and Condi Rice, not even KNOWING that it was due to the failure of George W. Bush not LISTENING to John Bolton AND Dick Cheney regarding the other two legs of that 'Axis of Evil' that GWB kept prattling about, and choosing to ignore and/or appease those two terrorist nations based on the advice of the incompetent Condi Rice?

You seem to have some kind of unrequited love and affection for that pro-abortionist from Stanford, but I got a news flash for ya, your widdle heart is gonna be broken just like your big screen namesake, so take that crap and shove it into your swag bag, because nobody here on this CONSERVATIVE website is buying it.

And by the way, you just might want to reacquaint yourself with something you most likely overlooked in your rush to proclaim your undying devotion to Ms. Rice:

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She is a leftist and a racist and she put skin color above ideology and voted for obama due to the color of his skin. condi is as putrid as hildebeast and anyone that promotes her had better wake up and take a trip down memory lane... like 2008!

Mitt will need an attack dog for his VP since he hasnt the fortitude to bite back himself.

Au contraire, Romney has been scathing in his attacks on our Dear Leader. I think that is a big part of his higher "unlikable" ratings; he has a mean streak.

I'll never forget McCain going weak-in-the-knees when he had to say anything tough about Obama. I knew we'd lost right then. Romney is not my first choice for the next POTUS, but Obama is surely my last.

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